Choosing Jessie
by marauderluverz
Summary: When Severus's wife  who left him  dies, he learns about secrets she kept from him. This is a family story, if you like Severus at all, read the first chapter. :
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

"Stephani!" he called running after her and grabbing her arm. She spun around to look at him. It was all she could do, he was much stronger than her. "Please, I'm sorry." the look on his face was pleading but she knew better. He had broken too many promises.

"No, Severus. I'm done. I won't live like this anymore. I can't." Stephani replied. He saw tears forming in her eyes. His grip loosened.

"I wish you wouldn't leave." he whispered.

Stephani sighed. "Severus, we've tried; but you're keeping secrets from me. I can't live this way. I can't." Stephani kissed her husband's lips briefly. "If things change, drop me a letter. I'll be at my sister's place." She turned back to the front door of their small house and opened it. Her suitcase was sitting by the door. She grabbed the handle and wheeled it out to her car. She didn't look at him until she was in the car. Then she gave him a farewell glance and he could see the tears flowing down her face as she drove away.

Severus slammed the door. He yelled. Screamed. Cried.

But then again that's what he got for marrying a muggle wasn't it?

He didn't go after her because he knew she was right. He had been keeping secrets from her. But what was he supposed to do? Tell her that he was a wizard and Lord Voldemort was attempting to take over by killing anyone who disagreed. He could see how that would go over. "Oh and by the way, I work for him. Did I mention that?" He laughed bitterly at the preposterous thought. She would never believe him. And even if she did, how would that help anything?

He had kept her in the dark for her own safety and it had ruined their marriage.

Severus didn't write to her. Not even a few months later when Voldemort was destroyed. Four years passed before Severus heard anything about his wife. He had been working at Hogwarts since the school year after Stephanie had left. That had been the most difficult and tragic year of his life. The year he lost the only two women he had ever loved.

But the summer of 1985 was when he got the phone call.

"Hello," he answered, desperately hoping it wasn't a telemarketer.

"Hello, is this Severus Snape?" the man on the other end of the line asked.

"Who wants to know?" he replied, it was strange for his phone to ring at all, but that the person on the other end knew who he was by name...

"My name is Timothy Riker, I work for the Johnson and Riker law firm." Tim told him.

Severus sighed. "I don't need a lawyer." he answered and then went to hang up.

"No, this is about your wife, Stephanie Snape." Tim told him quickly.

Severus stopped. "What about her?" he growled.

Tim sighed. "There's been an accident. I need you to come down to my office as soon as possible. We need to discuss her will."

Severus was silent.

"Mr. Snape?"

"What's the address?"

After taking some time to collect his thoughts, Severus apparated to the law firm, and took a deep breath before entering. He was still trying to hold himself together, though he had to admit, the news hadn't quite sunken in yet.

He walked to the desk in the entrance where the receptionist was. She looked up as he approached.

"Hello, what can I do for you?" she asked pleasantly.

Severus nodded to her in greeting. "I'm here to see Mr. Riker."

The receptionists eyes widened a bit, but she nodded. "Mr. Snape, right?"

Severus just nodded.

The young girl pushed a button on her intercom, "Mr. Riker, Mr. Snape is here to see you."

Static came over the intercom, then the same voice Severus had heard on the phone that morning. "Thank you, Hillary, send him in."

Hillary turned back to Severus, "His office is the first one on the left," she said, gesturing to a hallway.

Severus gave her a polite nod and headed in the direction she had pointed.

He came to the office, there was a plaque on the door that read, "Mr. Timothy Riker". Severus didn't knock, he just opened the door. Tim was sitting behind a desk, looking over some papers and files that were spread over the desk top. He looked up as Severus entered.

"Ah, Mr. Snape. Come in, please sit down." Tim said standing and gesturing to a chair. "Can I get you something to drink?" he offered.

Severus declined and both men took their seats.

"Mr. Snape, your wife was in a car accident last night. She was driving home from work and a drunk driver hit her car." he told Severus, " Stephanie made a will and I was in charge of making sure it was executed."

Severus nodded. "Very well."

"The first matter of business would be Jessica."

"Jessica?" Severus asked. "Who's Jessica?"

"Stephanie wanted you to read this. It explains everything, she said." he answered, handing Severus a small tan envelope. His name was scrawled across the front in Stephanie's tiny neat handwriting.

He carefully opened the envelope, making sure he didn't tear it, because he knew this was the last letter he'd have from her.

"Dear Severus,

If you're reading this, I'm already gone. I'm sorry I never got the chance to say I love you to you again, but I do, and always will. So now I have to tell you about Jessie.  
>After I left, I found out I was pregnant. I didn't tell you, or bother coming back because you were busy enough as it was. I knew you wouldn't have time for another person.<br>But now that I'm gone, I need to ask if you will take care of her. If not, or if you don't think you can, it's fine. She doesn't know that you are supposed to take her if you want her. So she won't be hurt if you say no. She will go to live with my sister if you can't take her.

Please consider it. You can be a wonderful father. She is the sweetest girl in the world, and my everything. You do what you think is best for our little girl.

Love,  
>Stephanie"<p>

Severus sighed, trying to take everything in. He had a daughter. What was he going to do? Stephanie wanted him to take care of Jessica.

"Where is she?" he asked Tim.

Tim smiled, "Does that mean you want to take her?"

Severus nodded. "If Stephanie wanted me to take her, I will."

Tim pressed the button on his intercom, "Hillary?"

"Yes, sir?" the receptionist answered.

"Can you please bring Jessie in here?" he asked.

"Of course."

Within a few minutes there was a knock on the door to the office. Then the door opened slowly and Hillary entered, holding the hand of a little girl.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Severus stared at his daughter. She had long black hair that was still in the messy braids her mother must have done for her the morning before. Her eyes were red from crying, and she was holding the hand of a stuffed bear, dragging it across the floor. He felt pity for the child but he couldn't bring himself to feel anything else. She was his daughter, but he didn't know her. The only thing that he knew was she was the last part of Stephanie he had and Stephanie had wanted him to take care of her. He would do that for her.

Timothy Riker stood and walked over to the little girl who was standing next to Hillary, still looking very confused and tired.

"Jessie, this is your-" he began before he was interrupted.

"Severus, she can call me Severus."

TIm glanced at Snape before nodding. "This is Severus, he'll be taking care of you now. That's what your mommy wanted. Okay?"

Jessie looked up at Snape, and she must have seen something in his eyes that made her trust him because she immediately let go of Hillary's hand and ran over to Severus and threw her arms around his legs, for that was as high as the four-year-old could reach. Severus reached down to make her let go, he wasn't used to things like this- public displays of affection. But he stopped when he could feel the girl shaking with sobs.

Whether he liked it or not, this was his child and he had chosen her. He had given up his opportunity to say no, to choose to keep his freedom. So now this was his life.

Severus leaned down and gently made Jessie release her grip on his legs before picking her up and allowing her to rest her head on his shoulder. He didn't pat her back or do anything to calm her. He just knew he wouldn't be able to walk anywhere with her anchoring him.

He signed the papers Mr. Riker gave him and his part was done. He was informed that Jessie had one bag there at the office and the rest of her things were still at Stephanie's house, where her sister Linda was to sort through everything. They gave Severus the address and told him he could stop by anytime to pick up the rest of Jessie's things.

Severus just nodded and took Jessie and her bag outside the building before he realized he had apparated there. He wasn't sure if the child could handle apparation right now, and there was no way on earth he would call the knight bus for her to ride on, so he flagged down a cab and had them take him back home.

Once they arrived at Spinners End, Severus turned to help Jessie out of the cab, only to see that the child was fast asleep. Severus sighed and picked her up into his arms once again. He knew she was tired and figured she probably hadn't had any sleep all night.

He struggled to the door with a child in one arm and her suitcase in the other, then set down the suitcase to open the door. Once inside, he realized he had no idea where he was going to put her. So he lay her on the couch, and placed her suitcase on the floor beside her, before heading off in search of what would become her bedroom.

As he walked around the dark house, he realized more and more that this was not a suitable place for a little girl. But perhaps he could fix that. He strode down the hall, and finally came to his bedroom. Not the one he used now, but the one he had not stepped foot in since he had moved out of this house the summer after his seventh year. He had only moved back because his mother had asked him to. Since his father had died, she said she could not keep the house by herself and asked him to take the house. She had since moved to a smaller home where she had a housekeeper to help her.

He stared at the door, he had hated this room as a child, but maybe Jessie would like it. He opened the door and entered, the room was smaller than he remembered, and it smelled musty. A thick layer of dust covered everything, which was not much. There was a small bed, with dirty sheets on it, a wardrobe stood in one corner and an old desk and chair sat in another. There was also a trunk at the foot of the bed. Severus sighed at the sight of his old room, he was already tired and he hadn't even cleaned it yet.

Severus pulled out his wand and began cleaning the room. The sheets flew off the bed and landed in a pile outside the door. The window opened and the room was soon aired out. Severus set to work dusting the furniture, and sweeping the floor. He went into the hall closet and brought out a set of clean light blue sheets and made the bed. He was nearly finished cleaning when he heard the sound of crying coming from the living room.

He hurried down the hall and back out to the living room where he found Jessie sitting on the couch crying. She had her face buried in her hands and was wailing words he did not understand. For a minute, he stood there frozen in place by his daughter's tears.

Then he crossed to her and sat down next to her. "Jessie?" he asked.

"I want my mommy!" Jessie cried.

Severus sighed, "Um, do you want to-" Severus was at a loss. He didn't know what to do for the crying girl before him. Finally he placed his arm around her and pulled her to his side, trying to hush her crying. After a few minutes, the young girl's crying stopped and she sat there gasping, worn out from crying.

"Do you want to see your bedroom?" Severus offered, hopefully.

Jessie nodded, and Severus was glad he had distracted her. He stood up and Jessie took his hand as he led her down the hall to her new room. He opened the door to the room and Jessie gasped. A wide smile spread across her face. Though the room was fairly bare, she was still thrilled by the sight of it. She ran across the room, with her teddy bear in hand and threw herself onto the small bed. Severus remained in the doorway watching her.

"Look Howie!" she exclaimed to her bear, "Isn't it pretty?"

Severus watched as Jessie held the bear's mouth to her ear and listened as he spoke to her. "Oh, I forgot." she replied to her toy, then turned to Severus, "Thank you, Severwus." she said, and Severus almost smiled, hearing her first attempt at his name.

Perhaps this would not be so bad, maybe he could handle having a little girl around the house- if she wasn't too much of a bother.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

Severus had left Jessie in her new bedroom, so he could think. He walked to his own bedroom and entered. He sat down on his bed with a sigh, and thought for a long time. He had made his decision without thinking, he realized. What was he supposed to do with this child? What about when he left for Hogwarts in September to teach? He couldn't just leave her here, nor could he take her with him. Hogwarts was no place for a four-year-old.

How could Stephanie have expected him to do this?

"Severus, you can do this." he heard in the back of his mind. He knew it was his imagination, but the voice was Stephanie's.

"No, I can't. I don't know how to be a dad." he thought.

"Just be you, and everything else will work out." Stephanie's words flashed into his mind. It was her motto. She was always telling him that, when he had met her parents, when they had gotten married, when he had gone for job interviews, even when he was just having a bad day.

Merlin, he missed her.

Knock, knock.

Severus sighed. "Come in." he called.

The door opened slowly and Jessie peaked in, "Severwus?"

"Yes, Jessie." he asked, trying not to sound irritated.

"Howie's hungry," she said, holding up her teddy bear in front of her.

"Well, Howie is a stuffed bear and can't eat." Severus told her.

Jessie just stared at him, she cocked her head to the side. "He wants a peanut budder and jelly samich." she replied defiantly, ignoring his comment.

Severus sighed and gave up. He was too tired to argue with her right now. "Fine."

He strode into the kitchen with Jessie following right behind him. And when he stopped suddenly, she ran into him. He looked behind him, to see Jessie look up at him, "Sorwy," she said quietly.

"You can sit down at the table." he told her, pointing to the small table that sat in the corner of the kitchen, there were three chairs surrounding the table. She chose one and climbed up into it. Then she placed her teddy bear on the one next to her.

"Howie can only eat half a samich, so you can give the rest to me." the young girl told Severus. He just nodded and opened the cupboard to pull out the loaf of bread. He pulled a plate down from another cabinet and then the peanut butter. He turned to the fridge and looked for jelly.

No jelly. He sighed, of course there was no jelly. After all, when was the last time he had made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

"There's no jelly." he said, closing the refridgerator.

He heard Jessie sigh loudly, "I guess peanut budder is okay by itself."

Severus just nodded and made her the sandwich. He cut it in half, in case she couldn't eat it all, but would not submit to her whims by putting it on two plates. He didn't see the point in dirtying two plates, when only one person was eating.

He set the plate in front of her.

"But what about Howie?" she asked.

"He can share with you."

Jessie looked at him suspiciously, then slid the plate to an even distance between her and Howie. She began eating her peanut butter sandwich and it wasn't long before she was having trouble swallowing it down due to the peanut butter attempting to glue her mouth. Severus noticed that Jessie seemed to be having trouble chewing.

"Do you need a drink?" he asked.

She nodded enthusiastically, and he went back to the cabinets and got her out a cup, then poured her a glass of milk. He figured milk would do the best to wash down the peanut butter. He set the cup on the table next to her, and she grabbed it, gulping down the drink gratefully.

"Thank you," she said, still attempting to swallow.

Severus just nodded. "I'll be in the other room, when you're done eating you can come over there. Just leave the plate on the table."

Jessie nodded in reply and Severus exited the room. He walked over and sat down on the couch. Jessie's bag was still sitting near the couch, and Severus was frustrated as he realized that he would have to call Linda to see when he could pick up the rest of Jessie's stuff. He had only met her a few times, and they had never gotten to know each other. Severus had never been comfortable with Stephanie's family.

He picked up a book off the coffee table that he had been reading earlier, and opened to his place. About ten minutes later, Jessie came into the room dragging her Howie. Severus glanced up.

"Are you finished?" he asked her.

"Yep!" she answered, "But Howie made a mess," she said pointing to Howie's face that was now covered with peanut butter. "He needs a bath. Can you get me a towel?"

"Sure," Severus answered, _I have nothing better to do,_ he finished to himself. He walked down the hall opened the closet and got her out a washcloth.

She took it from him happily. "Where's the bathrwoom?"

Severus led her to the bathroom and opened the door for her. "Don't make a mess." he told her, before walking away.

Jessie walked to the bathtub and turned the nob. As water began flowing she set Howie atop the closed toilet lid. She then dunked the washcloth under the water and turned back to Howie. "Now Howie, sit still." she told him.

She took the washcloth and began scrubbing at his face. Then she stopped for a moment when she felt her tummy rumble loudly. "Ugh," she muttered.

It had been fifteen minutes before Severus went back to check on Jessie. When he entered the bathroom he saw her leaning over the tub, with the water still running .

"Jessie?" he called, concern threading his voice. He hurried to her side and kneeled down next to her. She was retching into the tub. Tears flowed down her face as she held her tummy. Severus wasn't sure what to do. Then he remembered what his mom used to do for him.

"Sshh.." he muttered, as he awkwardly rubbed the little girl's back. She stopped retching. "Can you sit up?" Severus asked her.

Jessie tried to nod.

Severus helped her to sit down on the toilet lid, and handed her the trashbin.

"Here, if you have to throw up again, use this." he told her. Severus went back to the closet and grabbed a new washcloth, and wet it in the sink. He then kneeled down next to Jessie and wiped off her face.

"My tummy hurts, ugh!" she cried, before retching into the bin.

Severus left the bathroom, and went to his telephone. He grabbed the address book out of a drawer and flipped through it until he found Linda's number. Then he quickly dialed it.

"Hello, Linda here." a voice answered.

"Linda, this is Severus."

"Severus? How's Jessie doing? Tim called and said that you took her with you."

Severus sighed. "I don't know. Something's wrong with her."

Linda could here the worry in his voice. "What's wrong?"

"She's retching in the bathroom right now." he told her.

"Well, does she have a fever? What has she eaten?"

"I don't know. All she's had is a peanut butter sandwich and some milk."

Linda sighed in frustration. "She's allergic to milk. She has been since she was born."

"Well, what can I do for her?"

"Um, well, give her water. You'll just have to wait until it passes. She should be fine once it gets out of her system. She'll just be feeling sick to her stomach for a while." Linda told him.

Once Severus was off the phone, he hurriedly got Jessie a cup of water and brought it back to her in the bathroom. He handed her the cup of water and she drank some of it.

"How are you feeling now?" he asked.

"Okay." she replied.

"Do you want to go lie down?"

She nodded, and tried to get up but Severus could see how shaky she was, and didn't want her hurting herself. So, he picked her up, and carried her to her room.

Jessie rested her head against her dad's shoulder, until he laid her down on her bed. Severus pulled out his wand and used accio to bring the bin to Jessie's room. He then refilled her cup with his wand.

"You should try to sleep, and just call for me if you need me. I'll be in the living room." he told her before leaving the room.

Severus spent the next hour cleaning the kitchen and living room, and reading his book. Then he noticed Jessie's bag again and decided to take it back to her room. As Severus entered the room, he heard light snoring and looked over at Jessie. The little girl was fast asleep atop her bed covers.

Severus walked over to the bed, and gently pulled the covers out from under her and tucked her in. Then as he watched the sleeping girl, he saw a small smile form on her lips.


End file.
